You know I know both of us want me in a Maple Leaf blue and white jersey next year so I think we'll make something happen but as far as that goes right now you know we're still standing in the same spot.

Whatever happens happens, you know obviously I understand the situation you know how the cap is, you know, so do they. You know, the only thing I can control is how I play and I tried to do my best last year and I worked hard to have the same year as I did.

There's probably a disconnect with what Kadri wants and what the team is willing to give him. Given his status in Toronto as the team's second-leading scorer and the highest point total by an Ontario-born player since Matt Stajan in 2009 (since Kadri only had 48 games to work with to score his 44 points, it may be worth noting that the last Ontario-born Leaf to score 75 points in a season was Dave Andreychuk and Doug Gilmour back in 1994) he's of the belief that he's worth a long-term contract.

As I mentioned back in May, the Leafs and Dave Nonis are probably more willing to bring him on a bridge deal similar to Matt Duchene or P.K. Subban. Kadri had his breakout year in the last year of his entry-level deal, which means the team would have a pretty easy chance to overpay him and give him a large number of years. Kadri had high individual shooting percentages and on-ice shooting percentages that inflated his point total, so the Leafs have to be wary about what they pay him and for how long. A bridge contract works out for him since he's at the peak of his value and unlikely to repeat the percentages he had last season.

There's some frustration around the Internet at how Cody Franson and Kadri are both unsigned. My gripe directed at Nonis is more towards the fact that suddenly the Leafs find themselves in a tight salary cap situation when there was none before, but it's not at all bugging me the time it's taking to sign these two. Kadri especially, there's about a 0.01% chance he doesn't suit up for the Maple Leafs this season, and with modern training and workout routines, it's not like he's missing anything if he skips a few days of training camp.

Teams often take a long time to sign their key RFAs, and since the salary cap doesn't actually kick in until the season starts, it's not the cap situation that's preventing the Leafs from locking down their young forward but the reality when it comes to signing high-profile free agents.

In fact, I think it's wise of Nonis to take a while with Kadri here. It would have been quite easy to jump off a cliff and give Kadri a dollar figure at a term that Kadri wants, but Nonis was always good with restricted free agents in Vancouver and it's better for the organization to wear down Kadri at the bargaining table this summer and get him to a two-year deal, then sign him up long-term at such a time when his point totals aren't purely influenced by percentages.

So let's not fret about the time it's taking and let's not fret about the fact that TSN said that Kadri is disappointed with the progress. If Kadri did say that and that's the most damning quote, it's a tame one, and there's no reason to think that Kadri won't be with the Maple Leafs on opening day at this point.

Cam Charron is a BC hockey fan that writes about hockey on many different websites including this one.

That's not something that would happen to a team as wealthy as us. If someone did that they would just give us free reign to offer sheet all of their upcoming RFAs without looking like a dick and ruining relations with other GMs

A team can only sign a player to an offer sheet if they hold the drafts picks (which must be their own, not those acquired from other teams) commensurate with the compensation require should the offer not be matched. Therefore, we need not worry about someone offer sheeting Franson and Kadri to identical $4M offer sheets. Phew...

That's not something that would happen to a team as wealthy as us. If someone did that they would just give us free reign to offer sheet all of their upcoming RFAs without looking like a dick and ruining relations with other GMs

I don't think the Leafs are really in a position to sign other teams' players to offer sheets, given their current cap crunch. They can't even sign their own RFAs, much less other teams'.

Sure, maybe they would be in a few years, but unlikely both the Leafs' GM and the other team's GM will still be running their respective shows by then.

Still, offer sheets do seem to be pretty rare, but the Leafs are very susceptible at the moment.

A team can only sign a player to an offer sheet if they hold the drafts picks (which must be their own, not those acquired from other teams) commensurate with the compensation require should the offer not be matched. Therefore, we need not worry about someone offer sheeting Franson and Kadri to identical $4M offer sheets. Phew...

Are you saying that the rules won't allow offer sheets to be made, if a team can't satisfy both of them at the time of signing? Or is it that the league will allow it, but will penalize a team that cannot fulfill?

Totally agree no need to rush. Nonis has the hammer in these RFA negotiations and he'll take it to the 11th hour. Even if we had loads of cap space it's not a good idea to overpay guys that played well in a 48 game season.

Are you saying that the rules won't allow offer sheets to be made, if a team can't satisfy both of them at the time of signing? Or is it that the league will allow it, but will penalize a team that cannot fulfill?

Am I the only one who thinks that Kadri isn't signed more as leverage against Franson than himself? If we lock up the terms to a Kadri deal, other teams will know exactly how much it takes to steal Franson away. By leaving them both unsigned, matching remains a possibility except at the tipping point of over payment.

That's not something that would happen to a team as wealthy as us. If someone did that they would just give us free reign to offer sheet all of their upcoming RFAs without looking like a dick and ruining relations with other GMs

This is a really stupid comment. As it does not matter how wealthy a team is.

When it comes to RFA's you need your own picks to compensate. When an offer sheet is signed, until it is matched the pick is considered gone for all purposes. Also with Toronto's history of signing free agents for too much money I would say that the other teams would happily take the compensation.

Next as far as I am aware there is still a salary cap in place. Salaries can not be hidden in the minors. Nonnis is not stupid and already has cap issues. I do not see him retaliating and offer sheeting a bunch of RFA's to get even with an offer sheet that might get him out of a sticky cap situation as it is. If he did do this than he would likely have to buy out a lot of useful players who would than be able to go play for rivals much cheaper.

I think someone needs to get this Leafs are the richest so we do what we want attitude. Didnt work for them when there was no salary cap and it wont give them one lick of benefit in the salary cap era.